By Sophie Spickard
Boys The varsity boys basketball team ended its season on a high note on Feb. 2, defeating the Capo Valley Cougars 53–47 in overtime. Senior Beau Villar called it a “great way to end the season with an overtime win,” adding, “I’m proud of every player on the team. Our chemistry was at an all-time high.” On Jan. 30, the Dolphins battled the Tesoro Titans in a close 52–60 loss. They also fell to Mission Viejo on Jan. 28 (56–75), San Clemente on Jan. 26 (34–62), and San Juan Hills on Jan. 23 (51–64). Earlier, they earned a 54–51 win over Capo Valley on Jan. 21. Before that, the team faced a tough stretch, losing to Tesoro on Jan. 16 (38–67), Mission Viejo Diablos on Jan. 13 (55–57), San Clemente Tritons on Jan. 9 (44–78), and San Juan Hills on Jan. 7 (58–64). The Dolphins lost 47–53 to Viewpoint on December 30 and 48–50 to Rancho Mirage on December 29, but picked up wins against Central (55–41) and Cathedral City (83–23) earlier that week. Their December 23 game against Huntington Beach ended in a 39–69 loss. Coach Desiano reflected, “Despite the ups and downs, credit goes to the seniors who fought until the very end, closing out the season with a strong win and showing their resilience.” Girls The Dana Hills girls basketball team has faced tough competition in recent matchups, battling strong opponents while showing resilience and growth. On Feb. 3, 2026, the Dolphins hosted the Beckman Patriots. Although they came up short, 26–58, there were important takeaways. Junior Natalie Zul led the team with 9 points, along with a steal, rebound, and assist. She was also the first to score for Dana in every quarter. Senior Kiera Rodriguez finished with 5 points, a three-pointer, and a steal. Her takeaway from the season was, “Just keep playing, it’s great being out here and just always playing and always being with your team, just keep playing through everything, even your mistakes.” New head coach Alex Sanchez added, “There’s a lot of work to do, on conditioning, shooting, passing, and dribbling for the girls.” Last week, on Jan. 31, the Dolphins traveled to face San Juan Hills but struggled offensively, falling 17–61. On Jan. 27, they played against the San Clemente Tritons, whose aggressive defense had limited the score, resulting in a 10–65 final.